The present invention relates to an electronic access authorization system. Furthermore the invention relates to a method for using an electronic access authorization system according to the invention.
Electronic tickets/electronic access authorizations are well known in the art. They are a paperless replacement for a ticket or a pass and, as a rule contain a contactless data record which is read out wirelessly by an appropriate access control device. For example, the data records corresponding to an electronic ticket and stored in a portable device can be read out by an access control device via RFID technology. Furthermore it is possible to display a data record corresponding to an electronic ticket by means of a barcode via the display device of a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone, wherein the data is read out by means of a barcode scanner without making contact in order to grant access in the case of a valid access authorization.
A special type of access authorization are the so-called accreditations; i.e. the permissions granted to certain persons such as media representatives to attend certain types of events. Accreditations are used, as a rule, to determine who may, when and where, attend an event.
With events, however, it may often happen that the time and/or the location have to be changed as a result of external circumstances, which means that in this case the participants/clients who are in possession of an appropriate access authorization or persons who have an accreditation allocated to them, have to be notified of the change. In systems according to the state of the art this involves considerable expenditure. In the case where participants, clients or accredited persons are not notified in good time, this means a considerable loss of time and expense for these persons and also a loss of image for the event organisers, involving a high level of staff in order to rebook venues, issue new access authorizations, adapt accreditations and direct the flow of people to the new event venue.
Furthermore electronic access authorizations, once issued, cannot be subsequently changed or adjusted. For example, a client cannot, without difficulty, alter a seat reservation by means of the acquired access authorization. Rather he/she must personally, or by electronic means, get in contact with the event organiser, In order to obtain a new access authorization.